Debbie Meyer Green Bags Reviews

• Save your money and not buy green bags

  
  By A3Q22WBCK4L9TA on 2008-01-06
  The fruits and vegetables may look wonderful on the outside after nine days, but they are rotten inside. For instance, the picture of the bananas in the advertisements shows lovely yellow ones in the green bags and very ripened brown ones that are not in the green bags. In reality, the ones in the green bags, if they are as old as the ones that are not in the bags, are just as near rotten as the brown ones. I had the same experience with tomatoes and lettuce didn't seem to keep as long as if it was not in green bags. I gave my daughter in law and my mother in law some green bags and there experience was just as unpleasant.
  
  

• Been Tested

  
  By A2N5YX7DLGPG3K on 2008-01-08
  A TV station where I live (Pittsburgh) tested these things out. The results were not promising. There were two vegetables - green peppers and something else - that the bags did work for. They extended their freshness marginally. None of the fruits or vegetables remained fresh for 30 days, as the ad says. I fully acknowledge that my experience with this product isn't firsthand. But it does sound like your money might be best spent elsewhere.
  
  

• Does not work

  
  By A2SKEQT0WTB954 on 2008-06-29
  I found in testing all types of produce that these bags do not work. A leading consumer magazine also just tested them and found that the zip top bags work better than these and that these are worthless.
  
  

• I was skeptical, but they actually work, SORT OF

  
  By A1RFZGWX46N8H7 on 2008-04-23
  I purchased these bags the same day I bought some bananas, a "bunch" of 3, 9 days ago. Normally after a few days the uneaten bananas get thrown away, even though I only normally purchase a bunch of about 4 or 5. We just don't eat them fast enough. On a whim, I purchased a box, only because of my walking 7yo infomercial. Today she ate the 3rd banana, 9 days later. Granted, it was a bit softer than usual, but not a brown on it.
  I had also put a red & a green bell pepper in another bag, which has been on my countertop for about 6 days. Not a wrinkle on them. We'll be cutting them up tonight, so if I have a negative comment to post, I'll be back.
  Next I'm going to try strawberries, something else that normally rots away in my fridge.
  So far, I don't regret my purchase and am glad that I didn't go with my thoughts of "no way, can't work".
  
  EDIT 05/30/08: Strawberries: rotted/molded within a few days. Peppers: did prevent wrinklage, used peppers 6 days later, peppers in great shape. Tomatoes: same as peppers. Bananas: definitely prevented the browning by more than a week, but the banana was alot softer than I would expect.
  If I could change my original 4 star rating, I'd bump it down to a 2.5.
  To me, it's worth it just to extend the life of my bunches of bananas.
  
  

• Save Your $!!

  
  By A381YCZCQXL64B on 2008-01-31
  I regret having purchased this product. The Debbie Meyer Green Bags are flimsy, they are difficult to keep closed (even when I used spring-type clothespin, since twist ties are discouraged for use), and the 'large' size, which isn't much bigger than the small, was not large enough to accomodate a head of celery without cutting the celery. In addition, the instructions to keep produce 'dry' has a hidden meaning, because I discovered that every item developed water droplets, both inside and outside of the fridge. I needed to monitor the bags, and continually wipe out the insides with paper towels. Finally, the produce I bagged DID NOT remain fresh (Romaine lettuce, carrots, broccoli, red peppers, apples) but instead became limp and spoiled FASTER, probably due to the excessive moisture created by the bags. As a note, I rinsed out the bags in order to re-use them and noticed that the dark green color had faded. I surmise that the coating on the bag's inside, which is supposed to be 'key' in absorbing the produce's gas, rinsed away. This would make the bag entirely useless for any purpose. I'm going back to the comparably inexpensive, 2-gallon zipper-type bags on any grocer's shelf. Much sturdier, less costly, and definitely re-usable.
  
  
• the company does not stand behind the product
  By A3EB98NUJ4ASUB on 2008-02-19
  I called them and they gave me the run around and then denied that housewares was their company. Stay away from them its a get rich quick gimmick. Go with companies that you know and stay away from telemarketing garbage.
  
  
• TRY THIS BEFORE BUYING THESE BAGS
  By A1STMZP6YZ61N4 on 2008-06-21
  I read that someone ensures the bags absorb moisture by putting in a folded paper towel along with the produce ... well, you can wash and then cut up vegetables and put them in a plastic container or a zip lock bag and as long as you put in a folded paper towel and replace the paper towel about every 4-6 days or so, the veggies will keep as long as they do in the green bags!!
  
  
• I know some say they don't do anything, but they work in my kitchen!
  By A1ZDWBS8SHJPW2 on 2008-04-18
  I belong to a veggie co-op, and get veggies every two weeks. I never know what I'm going to get until a few days before, and so storage is important (while I figure out what to do with bok choy!). These bags work. I don't know how, I don't know what the gimmick is, or the science, but I can tell you that before I started using them, I threw out a bunch of veggies every two weeks (from the previous batch), and now, man, sometimes I can't even tell which ones are the new and which ones are the old.
  
  I mean it - they work that well for me. Especially on greens. I have lettuce in the drawer in a green bag right now that I KNOW is over 2 weeks old, and it's still crisp and fresh. That never used to happen.
  
  I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't started using them. And I'm not sure how one reviewer found that even though they look good, they're rotton on the inside - that has NOT happened to me at all.
  
  I mean, it - I have month-old carrots in there that I can't tell from the ones I got today. Still crunchy and still snap when you bend them.
  
  And I DO reuse them, and have not seen any decline in their effectiveness, even after washing several times. The only time I chuck them is if, once in a while, something does eventually go bad in them. (Hey, it happens to the best of us.) I don't reuse those - I just throw them away.
  
  I use these bags, and I'll never stop.
  
  
• Used properly - without moisture - they are great
  By A2HZ19GU00G6P6 on 2008-04-25
  Important - moisture is the enemy.
  I've been using these bags for over 8 months and they really extend the
  life of my produce. The important thing is to make sure you limit the amount of moisture inside the bag. I put in one or two paper towels
  before closing the bag. Every now and then, I'll check to replace the
  towel when it feels wet, and wipe away any condensation in the bag.
  Before I learned this trick, I had some disappointing results, but now
  they work great!
  Edited to add:
  I agree with the comments about bananas. They don't work well.
  
  
• Save your money
  By A1G3A2YQPLRODG on 2008-06-26
  These don't work. Berries rotted from the inside out. Lettuce got rusty. This was after about 4 days. Tried Rubbermaid Produce Keeper and it worked much better.
  
  
• What a waste of money.
  By A2JV4NZ5SMIY7P on 2008-06-30
  I'm glad I bought these at Whole Foods and not online or from the 800 number. I will be returning them soon. It's unfortunate because seeing them in the produce section of Whole Foods gave the bags some undeserved credibility. My wife and I put fresh peaches in one bag and greenish bananas in another. The bananas we kept out of the bags a foot away fared as well as those in these bags. The peaches molded. Apparently any moisture given off by the fruit does not escape. Interesting... that is a lot like what happens in regular not-so-green bags. I might as well have sealed them in any plastic bag for the results I achieved. Caveat emptor.
  
  
• If I had not seen the results I wouldn't believe it!!!
  By A3RXCUTMWQFRSE on 2008-03-11
  I bought these about a year ago, and it is incredible how long fruits and vegetables last in these bags. I have banana's on my counter that have been there for about 8 days and still look like they did when I bought them.
  These bags save me a lot of money. I never have to throw away food that rots before I can eat it anymore!! Thank you so much for these food bags!
  
  
• TWO WORDS.......ZIPLOC BAGS
  By AOYX93I66YVPZ on 2008-03-13
  I purchased these bags and I was not impressed in the less bit. I bought a bag of lettuce and it started turning brown after about two days. I had some ZIPLOC freezer bags and put lettuce in it and the lettuce didn't start to turn brown until almost 2 weeks. The green bags cost about $16 including shipping and handling (though I don't see how putting a few plastic bags in a flimsy envelope constitute charging five plus dollars for that).I purchased 152 ZIPLOC freezer bags from Sam's (four boxes of 38 each) for under $10. Needless to say the ZIPLOC bags worked better AND were a better buy.
  
  
• TERRIBLE! DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY & FOOD
  By A2WTDSR5M9OGWI on 2008-02-19
  I'd give this no stars if possible. Actually rots food faster. Fruit and veggies last longer just leaving on the fridge shelf or counter without any bag. Plus, food in bag in fridge builds up large amounts of condensation, which must be wiped out daily.
  
  
• The Worst Product Of The Year... Maybe Decade...
  By A255KF3K3VVZ6S on 2008-06-10
  I bought this bags to try them. Some people say yes, they work; and some others say no, they don't work. The only reason that I bought the bags was because of a person's review here that claims to sell vegetables, and the bags reduce waste. Well, I sell vegetable too. I had limes outside the bags and in the bags. The limes outside the bags lasted longer than the ones in the green bags. The tomatoes.... my poor tomatoes..... the bags didn't give my tomatoes one day extra in life time. I tried with Jalapeños, Green and red tomatoes, limes, avocado, cilantro... Oh... that's right... The cilantro got black in 2 days. No good. garbage product. Don't waste your money. These bags shortened the life of my vegetables.my greens
  
  
• Fruit keeps for over a month if you follow instructions!
  By A25BGV46BKHIX8 on 2008-08-13
  I don't know what's been happening with all those folks who say these bags don't work...unless they're not following the instructions. Do NOT wash the fruit before you store it in the refrigerator. Only rinse the fruit just before consuming it. I've had cherries keep in an excellent condition for over 1 1/2 months; blueberries easily lasted 3 times as long as usual, and the same for apples. I don't refrigerate bananas, so I can't speak for how it works for them. These bags let me buy larger quatities on sale and have them keep in prime conditon until I finish them off. I love this product.
  
  
• Good product when used correctly
  By AWFPVTJDVROC3 on 2008-07-02
  After reading all the reviews, I'm not sure that people are using these correctly. Not their fault, the instructions are pretty bad.
  
  There are certain types of fruits and vegetables that are going to work better than others. Greens work great. I had a head of lettuce that lasted 3 weeks in one before I ate it all. Celery, cucumbers, broccoli... all last longer. Bananas look good on the outside, but can be bad on the inside. Fruits that are sensitive to moisture (such as strawberries and peaches) should probably not be stored in them.
  
  Second, moisture is the kiss of death in these bags. What I do is put a folded up paper towel in with the fruits/veggies, and then put them in the fridge so that the produce is resting on top of the paper towel. Replace the paper towel once a week (or more frequently if it looks moist inside the bag).
  
  I pretty much only use it to store greens, bell peppers, squash.. Works great for me. I have to throw out less produce since I started using these. But again, it's gotta be the right produce in the right (non-moist) conditions.
  
  
• They work great for us!
  By A3I3G2U04C1G0H on 2008-01-23
  We bought a set of the Debbie Meyer green bags a few weeks ago and so far they have definitely extended the life of our produce. We have had excellent results with bananas, lettuce, lemons, apples and green peppers. I bought bananas that were a little too ripe for my taste (they had no green on them) on a Sunday and by Thursday they still had not ripened any further. I definitely think they are worth the money.
  
  
• Not Impressed
  By A2HAMQ5JYT7QN on 2008-05-24
  These bags did not work for me. In fact it seems that my bananas seemed to rot a lot quicker than usual. I don't know if its the fact that I like in a hot climate. Which I don't think should matter.
  
  Not worth it. The supermarket bags kept the produce a lot longer and fresher than these ones.
  
  
• Fabulous Product!
  By AGEAN29UKSZGM on 2008-06-05
  The negative comments here baffle me. This is an absolutely fantastic product! It works perfectly. I only regret that it wasn't invented sooner. We have used the bags for strawberries, blueberries and raspberries all of which are extremely perishable, of course. Left out or in the containers from the store, they will go bad in a day or two. In the Debbie Meyer Green Bags they keep for days. Hallelujah! Fresh berries aren't cheap and the waste was killing us. Now, it's not a problem at all.
  
  This ranks right up there with the FoodSaver vacuum sealer as one of the most cost-effective, waste-preventing kitchen accessories ever.
  
  
• Amazing product
  By A2TYNA8SHA7C3A on 2008-02-12
  I bought these a month ago...the deluxe bags with the zip lock closure. They are absolutely amazing. I do not buy produce every week anymore and my lemons and limes look like I just bought them after 3 weeks. I am telling you, they have already paid for themselves in savings from not having to throw out produce. I haven't tried them with lettuce because they are too small unless you cut it up first. I have kept parsley, peppers, cilantro, cukes, lemons, limes, and zucchini in them with great results. I highly recommend them. Perhaps the zip lock (deluxe) type is better than the other type. Who knows. All I know is that they do just what they are advertised to do.
  
  
• They DO work!
  By AAGZ74YHEJRKB on 2008-05-04
  Okay, I was very skeptical that this product would work - but give them a try. I used celery as my test. I never have been able to keep celery fresh for more than 2 days before getting soft and tasteless. Put the celery in a bag, closed the bag and came back 2 days later - still fresh and crisp. Waited 4 more days - still crisp. Waited another week - WOW - fresh and crisp - I was sold.
  
  Been using these bags for a year and am still impressed.
  
  
• A lot of hype
  By A1ZRJ7XWA7ZXQI on 2008-07-12
  I've read all the reviews on this product and have to agree with most that it does not work as advertised and is not worth the amount they charge for them.
  I put some bananas in the bag and some outside the bag and watched them for a week. The ones inside the bag had fewer brown spots but the insides of each were exactly the same. However, the ones IN the bag molded from the moisture. I put paper towels in there and even tried to wipe it down but I have better things to do than come home and wipe down 10 bags of vegetables every day. Kind of defeats the purpose of the product. The same thing happened with my cherries and other fruits, they all molded within a few days.
  I did find that the less moist vegetables did benefit from this. I stored broccoli and cauliflower in the bags and forgot about them in my fridge for 10 or 11 days and when I pulled them out, they were both still crunchy and edible. They had just begun to turn brown.
  They advertise as washable and re-usable, but let's get real. Have you ever tried to wash a plastic bag and worse yet, to dry it? It's just not practical and depending on what you had in there, I'm just not sure it's safe to re-use.
  I'll just stick with my current method of planning my shopping to buy only what I can use and freezing what I can't. See my review on Packmate 95000 Vacu-Seal Starter Kit with Handheld Vacuum Sealer and Bags.
  
  
• Works well for me
  By A3EPHBMU07LZ50 on 2008-07-13
  I picked up a package of these at a local store and have found the bags do extend the usage life of produce. I wouldn't eat something stored in the bag longer than two weeks, I guess I am not that brave, but the bags do keep produce fresh for about a week.
  
  I've used the bags to store pre-packaged salad mix (removed salad mix from original bag) and have stored carrots in them. Today, I am trying celery and grapes. Will see what happens.
  
  
• Useful in limited cases.
  By AW526CJIBJFQT on 2008-08-03
  These bags can help with preserving fruits and vegetables, but first you need to understand the process of what is going on, and understand the MULTIPLE factors affecting your fruits and vegetables; read on to get this basic understanding.
  
  Practice a small amount of planning with your produce, and make sure you are storing your fruits and veges properly, and you can eat healthy, delicious, and fresh produce all week long, even with a single trip to the store!
  
  First of all, don't let your produce get warm. Shop for produce last, and go directly home with it. The warmer it gets, the faster it respires (breathes), the faster it ripens, and the sooner it eventually rots.
  
  You can also choose less ripe fruit, which will mean it lasts longer at home. Of course if you're going to eat it soon, look for the ripest produce. You can often buy very ripe fruits and vegetables at a discount from your grocer, which can save you money if you plan to eat them or cook them immediately. Look at the back of the produce section or ask. Farmers at the farmer's market will also be able to advise you which produce is ready to eat, and which needs a little more time.
  
  These fruits and vegetables will last a week or less:
  
  Artichokes
  Asparagus
  Avocados
  Bananas
  Basil
  Broccoli
  Cherries
  Corn
  Dill
  Green beans
  Mushrooms
  Mustard greens
  Strawberries
  Watercress
  
  These will last about a week:
  
  Arugula
  Cucumbers
  Eggplant
  Grapes
  Lettuce
  Lime
  Mesclun
  Pineapple
  Zucchini
  
  
  These will last up to a couple weeks if stored properly:
  
  Apricots
  Bell peppers
  Blueberries
  Brussels sprouts
  Cauliflower
  Grapefruit
  Leeks
  Lemons
  Oranges
  Oregano
  Peaches
  Pears
  Plums
  Spinach
  Tomatoes
  Watermelon
  
  These will last for several months, but are best within about one month:
  
  Apples
  Beets
  Cabbage
  Carrots
  Celery
  Garlic
  Onions
  Potatoes
  Winter squash
  
  The fresher your produce is when you buy will mean it lasts longer at home as well. That's why a farmer's market or CSA is a great bet for making your produce last - it is picked fresh the day you buy it, versus produce in the store which may have been picked green before traveling by truck or ship for days or weeks before you ever set eyes upon it.
  
  You can also use special discs or produce bags that absorb ethylene, the ripening gas. This can stop produce from ripening so quickly because when fruits and vegetables detect ethylene they begin to produce more of it. Of course ethylene can also be used to help produce ripen when you are eager to eat it. The old banana in a bag trick works because ripe bananas produce a lot of ethylene and will trigger whatever is in the bag with them to ripen and begin producing their own ethylene.
  
  Some high ethylene producing fruits should be refrigerated, whiles others shouldn't. Refrigerate these: Apples, Cantaloupe, Figs, and Honeydew. Don't refrigerate these: Avocados, Bananas, Nectarines, Peaches, Tomatoes, and Bell Peppers. High ethylene-producing fruits will be most extended by the "green bags," but only the ones that can be refrigerated!
  
  And some produce doesn't make much ethylene but is very sensitive to it. Keep these away from the gas producers above: Bananas (also need to stay at room temperature), Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Lettuce and other leafy greens, Parsley, Peas, Peppers (best at room temperature), Squash, Sweet potatoes (best at room temperature in winter only), Watermelon.
  
  
• They Work!
  By A3091RP0SPZLMN on 2008-01-26
  This product has been a big money saver for us. I have produce that doesn't go to waste in a few days. Remember to put like items in bags. My apples, bananas, carrots, asparagus....all stayed longer & were delicious.
  
  
• Wouldn't buy again!
  By A1A93ART31XT29 on 2008-06-24
  These were a waste of money for me...the produce rotted faster when they were IN the greenbags. The problem is keeping the produce DRY at all times. Fruits and veggies naturally produce condensation. Wiping the insides of the bags everyday was impractical and not worth the hassle. I got better results with placing my produce with paper towels inside of tupperware containers. I wouldn't buy them again.
  
  
• If you use it right...not as advertised
  By on 2008-07-08
  Boy oh boy, I wish I hadn't wasted my money. The people that give this item 5 stars think about what you are saying...You have to wipe the moisture away....you have to use the right produce....the produce has to be fresh. What on earth are you all excited about? When I bought items before kept them in the bags the come in and washed them right before use, (btw that is how you are suppose to treat fresh food, don't wash them before you store or they will rot) and they would last a fair amount of time.
  
  I guess I should have left this alone, too many rules to follow and by reading some of the TRUE post looks like I wasted my money because my produce from my shopping trip (July 4) are about to go bad. Definetly going to remove them all when I get home if it not too late.
  
  I take fruit to work everyday, put it in a ziploc, into the fridge at work and by the time I get around to eating them at lunch they are mushy, maybe the transfer shocked the fruit not sure.
  
  Remember before you purchase, you will need to wipe the bags out more than once a day on ALL your bags, you are told on the instructions not to close with tie, but to fold them over, they are long skinny bags, etc etc.
  
  I was one of the foolish ones, don't be, those five star folks have way too much time on their hands wiping each and every bag twice a day, and they enjoy mushy veggies and fruit. Me, not much of a fan for either of those task.
  
  BTW, let me point out again like others have before, NO MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!!!!
  
  
• Has saved me money!
  By A1T9TRUH61L5D on 2008-03-04
  I am a fan of these bags. I was constantly throwing out fruits and veggies that I didn't "get to" in time. I would say that produce life is extended up to 3 times longer. Great product and worth the money as bags can be washed and reused many times.
  
  
• Good experience after more than a month of use
  By A2OC3J2ZM92WLT on 2008-03-23
  I buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and believe these bags do extend the life of most of the things I've used them for. I never keep things for long times, but for things that would start to turn bad in a few days, they will last a few days longer in these bags. I have had especially good experiences with melons and tomatoes and have found that lettuce and cilantro last twice as long.
  
  

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